Del Bosque recalls "stand-offish" relationship with Casillas

Vicente del Bosque was special guests on Spanish Radio programme El Larguero last night and surprised listeners by describing his distant relationship with national team captain Iker Casillas. 

Frosty Iker: "I'm sure that Casillas is upset with me, which I perfectly understand. He never told me that he didn't want to play. He was fine with his team mates, no problem at all but with the coaching staff, comme ci comme ça"

Bidding farewell to the players: "The only one I didn't send a text message to was Casillas; it didn't really go down too well with me how he behaved with the coaching staff"

Casillas getting the whistling treatment from Real Madrid fans: "I'm astounded that Madrid fans could whistle someone like Casillas, it's incredible and I took sides on that one, I couldn't have been clearer about my stance on that"

Casillas' different treatment: "It's upsetting that, with Toni [Grande], [Javier] Miñano and with me, he treated us differently to his team mates. I was particularly hurt by that because he has always been one of my favourites".

Atmosphere in the Spain camp: "Casillas' anger was only with us. I say that with total sincerity. With his team mates he was perfect. I'm sure we can bury the hatchet at some point in the future. We can't have quarrels over nothing".

Mistakes: "Maybe we got it wrong with him. I don't know".

Iker's career: "He should be extremely proud to have represented Spain with the national team so many times (167). His curriculum is far from diminished by that. Any coach would realize how difficult a role like his is to fullfil".

Other skirmishes: "There wasn't any. The only time it happened was with Iker, although it didn't have any negative effects on the rest".

Feeling hurt: "I've known him since he was nine years old and hold him in very high regard".